Draw-bridge



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

R. A. SAWYIER.

DRAW BRIDGE. No. 889,980. Patented Sept. 25, 1888.

WITNESSES: llVVE/VTOI? m FM. Q 7

3 M H s ATTORNEY UNrTan STATES PATENT Orrren.

REUBEN A. SAWYIER, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

DRAWFBRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,980, datedSeptember 25, 1888.

Application filed April 16, 1888. Serial No. 270,831. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN A. SAWYIER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklin and State ofOhio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Bridges, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to swinging bridges, such as are adapted to beopened by hand or by contact therewith of a moving boat, and hasparticular relation to the improvement of that form of bridge shown anddescribed in my patent, No. 381,584, dated April 24, 1888.

The objects of my present improvement are to provide a bridge of thisclass with a handoperating mechanism soconstructed and arranged as toobviate the necessity of using a detachable operating key or wrencl1,andto locate said operating mechanism away from the road way of thebridge,and to so support said bridge as to admit of its being easily andreadily turned, and to cause the same to return automatically to itsnormal position across the stream after the passage of the boat. Theseobjects I accomplish in the manner illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a transverse section of the bridge.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a portion of the bridge with the floor removed,taken above the supporting-pier. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a portionof the bridge and hand operating mechanism. Fig. l is a side elevationof the bearing-tracks,showing the outer track partly broken away. Fig. 5is a sectional view taken on line a of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is atransverse section of one of the operatingshafts, taken on line y y ofFig. 1.

Similar-letters refer to si milar parts throughout the several views.

A represents the snpportin g-pier of a bridge.

B represents a circular track-plate, having its sides flanged upwardlyto form two circular tracks, I) b, one within the other, and having itscentral flattened portion secured, as hereinafter described, to theupper side ofthe pier A. The upper surface of the outer and largertrack, I), is inclined downwardly in each direction from twooppositely-located points, 0, to oppositely-located points, 0, in saidtrack ninety degrees removed from said points 0. At each of the lowpoints, 0, is formed in the upper surface of the track a slight concavedepression, 0 The formation of the inner track, I), is similar to thatof the outer track, 1), except that the position of the high and lowpoints of its surface is reversed, the high points of the inner trackbeing opposite the low points, 0, of the outer track.

In securing the track-plate B to the pier a number of cavities, is, areformed in the pier at points below the track-plate, into which are madeto extend the lower portions of screws E, made to pass verticallydownward through bolt-holes formed in the track-plate, and having headsupon their upper ends, as shown. The screws having thus been made toenter the cavities e, the latter are filled with molten metal which isallowed to harden within the cavities and about the screws.

Bolted to the upper side of the pier, in the center of the circledescribed by the inner track, I), is a metallic bed-plate, D, having acentral vertical hole therein, through which is made to pass and projectupwardly, before said bed-plate is secured in its position on the pier,a pin, (1, having an enlarged lower end, the latter being countersunk ina depression formed in the lower surface of the bed plate about itscentral hole.

Resting upon the upperside of the bed-plate D is a metallic plate, F,the latter being bolted, as shown, to the under side of two parallel I-beams, f, which extend one on each side of the pin (1, and have theirends secured, respectively, to the under sides of two parallel -I-beams, f, extending transversely between the side girders. g, of thebridge, one on each side of the center pin, d. Intervening between theupper sides of the I-beams f and the lower sides of the beams f isaplate, G, corresponding with the plate F. The center pin,d, passesloosely through central oppositely located holes formed in said plates Fand G, and, ex-

tending upward a short distance above the lat beanisf is pivoted a shortshaft, 6, on which is mounted a traclvwheel, I, adapted to bear and bemade to run upon the track bat a point diametrically opposite thebearing of the w heel II. The wheel I is provided on its outer side witha oircularllange, havi ng cog-teeth iformed thereon, as shown. Thesetrack-wheels H and I normally rest, as shown, in the concave depressions c of the track I3.

Between each of the cross-beams f and a parallel cross-beam, K,extending between the side girders, g at a point near the outer edge ofthe track I), are made to extend two parallel beams, it, connected, asshown, by two parallel cross-beams, 78, between which is pivoted a shaftcarrying a small balance-wheel, 7;". These balance-w heels, as shown,are adapted to rest normally within the depressions at the low points ofthe inner track, I). t

L represents the bridge-floor, from which, adjoining one edge thereof,is made to extend upwardly a standard, Z, the latter having pivoted inits upper end an outwardly-extending shaft, Z, having mounted thereon apinion wheel, in, and having fixed on its outer end a hand-wheel, m.

N represents a horizontal shaft extending iir wardly through the sidegirder, g, at a point below the shaft Z and beneath the floor of thebridge. The inwardly-extending portion of this shaft is provided withsuitable llearings, a, on the upper sides of the beamsf.

Mounted loosely on the shaft N, at a point above the traelcwheel I, is apinion-wheel, n having formed therewith, on one side, a clutchextension, 15*, in the form of a flanged collar fitting looselyabout the shaft. This pinion a is provided on its inner bearing-surfacewith a horizontal slot, a, into which, as shown in Fig. 0 of thedrawings, fits loosely a similarlyshaped lug or key, a", formed on theshaft N. The outer end of the shaft N is made to carry a gear-wheel, 10,which gears with the pinion m.

I represents a foot-lever pivoted near its center in suitable bearingson the outer side of the frame-work on that side of the bridge 00- cupied by the standard 1. The upper portion of the foot-lever is bentoutward and thence inward over the upper edge of the bridge-floor toform a treadle, while its lower portion extends downwardly and thence inthe direction of the length of the bridge, terminating in a fork whichfits loosely over a horizontal rod, (1, between two nuts, 11, fixedthereon. This rod 11 extends inward through the side girder of thebridge over the shaft N, and has an inner downwardly-forked endpartially embracing the clutch a between its end flange and the piniona.

R represents a metal sprin strip having its upper end secured to theinner side of the bridge side girders, and having its lower end providedwith a slot or hole, through which passes the rod q, the latter havingfixed thereon a nut, r, against the outer side of which the lower end ofsaid'spring-strip bears, as shown.

The operation of my improved bridge is as follows: When it is desired toturn the bridge to admit of the passage of a boat, the foot of theoperator is first pressed upon the footlever P. This pressure willoperate, through the connection of said lever and the rod q and theconnection of the latter with the clutchextension a of the pinion, todraw said pinion outward on the shaft N sufficiently to cause theengagement of said pinion and the cogged flange t" of the track-wheel I.The hand-wheel m is then grasped and turned, operating to revolve,through the shaft 1' and pinion m, the geanwheel in, which in turnrevolves the shaft N and keyed pinion a. The pinion n being inengagement with the cogs of the trackwheel I, the latter will thus bemade to turn and travel upon the track I), and through its connectionwith the bridge frame-work cause the bridge to turn, the wheels H and krunning, respectively, upon the tracks I) and b. The bridge having beenturned sufficiently to admit of the passage of the bolt, and thetrackwheels I, H, and it having thus traveled up the incline of theirrespective tracks, the grasp on the handwheel may be released, allowingsaid t 'ack-wheels to reverse and be carried by force of gravity downthe incline of the tracks until again at thelow points in said tracks,thus causing the bridge to assume its normal posi tion across thestream. It will be seen that in case the traclewheels, by the forceacquired in returning, should pass said low points in said tracks, theymay travel a short distance up the inclines on the opposite sides ofsaid points until said force is overcome, and again reverse and finallysettle in the low-point depressions. The pressure of the foot being released from the lever I, it will be seen that the tension of thespring-strip R will force the rod q inward, operating to release thepinion a from engagement with the cogs of the wheel I. Although thetraclcplate B is shown formed in one piece, it is obvious that eachtrack may be formed of a separate plate. It will also be observed thatthe peculiar means herein described of securing the track-plate to thepier will serve to form a firm connection between said parts.

The herei n'descri bed bridge is so constructed as to bring the greaterportion of the weight upon the traclnwheels I and II, while the wheelsIt" and pin (Z facilitate the balancing of the bridge. The stop-pin d ofthe pin (1 will operate to prevent the possibility of the bridge beingfrom any cause elevated off said pin (Z.

By the construction herein described it will be seen that the use ofsprings, common in bridges of this class, is obviated, and that theoperating mechanism is so arranged and loeated upon the bridge as to doaway with a removable wrench and prevent the obstruction of the roadwayof the bridge.

In order to prevent the entrance of snow and otherwise protect thebearing parts of the bridge, a circular plate, W, having its lower edgeresting upon the upper side of the pier, to which it is secured, is madeto encircle the tracks I) I), as shown.

Having now fully described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a swinging bridge, the combination, with the pier A and inclinedtracks I) b,secured to said pier, of the bridge frame-work, supportingtrack-wheels H and I, and balancewheels is, substantially as specified.

2. In a swinging-bridgeoperating Inechanism, the combination of theframe-work and journaled shaft Z, carrying pinion m and handwheel m,with the shaft N, its loosely-mounted and slotted pinion n, key 12*, andgear-wheel w, gearing with pinion m, substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

3. In a swingingbridge-operating mechanism, the combination of theframe-work, pivoted shaft Z, carrying pinion m and hand-wheel m, shaftN, its loosely-mounted and slotted pinion it, having clutch-extensionof, key n, and gear-wheel w, gearing with pinion m,with the pivotedfoot-lever P, rod q, connected with said lever, and spring-strip R,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4'. The combination of the bridge framework, pivoted shaft Z, carryingpinion m and 30 hand-wheel m, shaft N, its loosely-mounted and slottedpinion n, having clutch-extension at, key at, and gear-wheel w, gearingwith pinion m, the pivoted foot-lever P, rod (1, connected with saidlever, and spring-strip R, with the track-wheels H and 1, the latterhaving cogs i, balance-wheels 7c, and inclined tracks I) 12,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. lhe combination of the pier A, having cavities e therein, with thetraclcplate B and screws E, the latter extending through said plate intosaid cavities, where they are held by metallic filling e, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

6. In a track for swinging bridges, the combination, with the pier ofthe bridge, of the hereindescribed circular tracks b and I), each ofsaid tracks having two oppositely-located depressions, from each side ofwhichthe upper surface of the track inclines upwardly to high pointsninety degrees removed from said low points, the low points of the trackb be ing, as described, opposite the high points of the tracks b,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

REUBEN A. SAWVYIER.

In presence of- JOHN M. TIBBETTS, O. O. SHEPHERD.

